Talk Bronx New York

New York’s best diners still have that classic, 24-hour appeal

Jerry Stephanitsis stands in front of his Pelham Bay Diner in the Bronx.

The Bronx Breakfast - bacon, ham, sausage, two eggs and pancakes - is one of the most requested dishes at the Pelham Bay Diner.

Longtime Rego Park resident Abby Metzger eats breakfast and dinner every day at the Tower Diner in Forest Hills, and raves about her kitchen away from home.

“I’ve never sent anything back,” says the retired dress store manager. “For breakfast, the omelets and the French toast are unbelievable. The dinners, you can’t ask for anything better. And it’s just a nice place to be.”

Diners – despite their dwindling numbers – still stir passionate feelings in New Yorkers charmed by the 24/7 hours and the larger-than-life menus where you can get breakfast at midnight or dinner at 4 a.m. Diners glorify tradition and evoke nostalgia for a simpler time, when the maitre d’ greeted every patron by name at the door and asked after family members. While the rest of the city’s all caught up in whether our cannoli have traces of trans fats or not, diners unapologetically celebrate gravy, butter, and salad dressing on top, not on the side.

So where to find these time-honored classic diners? When we invited Daily News readers to e-mail us about their favorite diners, we got letters singing the praises of places throughout the city. Here’s a peek at some of the most popular diners around the boroughs, and why their owners say they’re still drawing crowds.

Mark Walter lived in the Bronx for 47 years before moving six years ago to Colorado, where he works for a bank. When he comes to New York (which he still refers to as “home”), he always eats at least once at the Pelham Bay Diner (1920 East Gun Hill Rd., Bronx; 718-379-2123; www.pelhambaydiner.com).

“It has to be breakfast at the Pelham Bay Diner,” Walter says.

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Bronx’s Westchester Square Medical Center Joins NY Presbyterian System

By the end of June, New York Westchester Square Medical Center in The Bronx was supposed to officially close it’s doors for good. The hospital is one of four throughout the city still slated for closure based on recommendations from a panel known as the Berger commission which tried to cut healthcare costs throughout the state.

But Friday, the hospital officially announced that it will stop operating on its own and will become part of the New York Presbyterian Healthcare System.

To show their appreciation, elected leaders who helped broker the deal with state health officials were given signed lab coats from hospital staff.

“I really believe if at all possible this is going to be even better,” said Bronx Democratic State Senator Jeffrey Klein. “You are going to have a great healthcare institution, world-renowned like New York Presbyterian taking over. It still is going to be a community hospital. Still going to maintain community mission of providing quality of care and they will have sort of a big brother watching over them.”

Under the takeover plan, members of the hospital board and elected officials claim all services will remain intact.

“It is basically a bail-out,” said Dr. Rudolph Nisi, Westchester Square’s Chairman of the Board. “The hospital will continue to be an acute care hospital as it has always been with the addition of services with asthma clinics, perhaps, or diabetes clinics.”

While senior staff and Senator Klein remain optimistic that services will continue and be increased, New York Presbyterian said the future of the hospital’s services remains uncertain.

“Part of the process we need to go through is not just to be able to say this makes the most sense in our view,” said Wayne Osten, director of NY Presbyterian Healthcare. “There are other partners and individuals that need to work with us, including the health department, including the governor’s office, including the staff here and the staff at New York Presbyterian.”

The takeover process will also involve bailing Westchester Square out of bankruptcy. But current hospital officials and New York Presbyterian maintain there will be no disruption of services while those issues are being worked out. Read more..

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Bronx Bodega Owners Receive Free Health Screenings

The New York Presbyterian Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Network sponsored free health screenings for Bronx bodega owners and their families on Thursday.

Dozens of owners came out to take advantage of the offer.

“The reason why we’re targeting ‘bodegueros’ is because they’re a population that tends not to go and get their health care on a timely basis,” said Andres Nietto of New York Presbyterian.

“They usually wait until it’s far advanced or it’s too late, and many of them use the emergency room as their primary care. So we’re trying to target populations that usually don’t get care, and bringing the hospital sort of out to the community,” continued Nietto.

The free screenings included cholesterol tests, blood pressure checks, and testing for diabetes.

SOURCE: NY1.com

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Bronx Bodega Owners Get Free Check Ups, Flu Shots

November 15, 2007

There were free check ups and flu shots for some Bronx bodega owners Thursday as part of an ongoing charity program that is targeting groups that do not get regular health care.

“This is not the solution for proper health care obviously, this is a way to reach out to the population and try to work with them and try to get them to get regular health care,? said Andres Nieto of NY Presbyterian Hospital.

New York Presbyterian teamed up with several companies to bring the hospital to the community.
Organizers say the event was a success.

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